Permission to Speak Freely

Jacob Sullum | August 2, 2004

Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) has introduced a bill that would repeal the McCain-Feingold law's restrictions on pre-election political messages. Among other things, McCain-Feingold, a.k.a. the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002, prohibits political advocacy groups organized as nonprofit corporations from engaging in political advocacy (if it mentions any actual politicians) within 30 days of a primary or 60 days of a general election. Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-Md.) already has introduced a bill aimed at lifting this censorship in the House. He calls it, aptly enough, the First Amendment Restoration Act.